


Year Three

by Kahika



Category: Uncharted
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-19
Updated: 2014-09-19
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:40:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahika/pseuds/Kahika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On Nate and Elena's unofficial wedding anniversary, Chloe drops in for a friendly chat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Year Three

**Author's Note:**

> Adapted entirely from Rhiannon87's mental image of Chloe calling Nate on his anniversary telling him not to screw things up again (in more colorful language).

You can't bring yourself to be surprised any more when two years to the day that you and Elena left Yemen together, the doorbell rings and Elena opens the door to find Chloe standing there. Chloe turns up unannounced. It's a fact of life and you now accept this about her, though you do check your calendar every time to make sure it isn't a holiday she's decided to celebrate with you without telling you beforehand. (It's not a holiday today, unless it's National Pancake Day or something, and she doesn't go in for those.)

"Happy anniversary. Where is he?" she demands.

"Um, thank you, hello to you too," says Elena, who's far less used to Chloe's random drops in on your life. "He's in the kitchen."

Somewhat regretting mentioning to Chloe that you think of today as your unofficial anniversary, you wave as she approaches. "You know, one day you're going to turn up and I won't be here."

"That was last month: Elena and I went to a movie instead," she says. Oh, yeah, you kind of remember Elena mentioning that. "And earlier this year I dropped by when you were in Bolivia. But I didn't come here to talk about that."

"What did you - _hey_ ," you add, because she's grabbing you by the shoulder in lieu of a holster and dragging you to the bedroom. Which, um, you're a married man, and she may or may not be with Charlie (their answers vary wildly). "Is this really the time?"

She shoves you down onto your own bed and glares at you, folding her arms. "This is exactly the time."

Elena pokes her head into the room, looking wary. "Um. Chloe?"

" _Stay out of this._ "

Elena gives you a bewildered look, and you shrug, but wave her off. You're pretty sure you can handle yourself if Chloe tries anything. (And she has no reason to, as far as you're aware.) After a moment, Elena shrugs one shoulder - _if you're sure_ \- and leaves. This time, Chloe shuts the door after her, and you can't help feeling a sense of foreboding.

"Now," she says. "Where were we?"

"Uh," you say. "This being exactly the time?"

Chloe nods, remembering. "Yes. Basically your anniversary." She leans down and plants her hands on the bed outside your legs, her face inches from yours. You lean away as much as you can without falling onto your back. Why did you ever tell her that? "You've made it past the one year mark, which is about where you screwed up the first time. Don't you _dare_ fuck this up again."

" _Uh_ ," you repeat, feeling the need to clarify. "With Elena?" She nods. "Jesus, Chloe, I knew you two were becoming friends but I didn't know you were at the 'break her heart and I'll break your -'"

"This is only _barely_ about Elena," she says. "This is about _you_ , and a little about me." You must look confused, because she rolls her eyes. "If I hadn't told you to tell Elena you loved her, would you have done it?"

Your mouth goes dry as you think about it: Honestly, you might not have. You'd chalked her kissing you on the cheek in the village up to relief that you were alive; after your first breakup and after Nepal, you didn't really think you had another chance with her. If anything, you'd been preparing to quietly write things off with Chloe and upgrade Elena to someone you can hold a civil conversation with when you happen to be in the same city.

"Maybe not," you admit, your voice small.

Chloe gazes into your eyes so intensely that you wish you could lean back further. "But you're happy you did, right?"

That, you can answer right away, with a firm nod. Being with Elena is one of the best things that ever happened to you, probably only second to Sully taking you under his wing.

"I never did thank you for it, did I," you realize.

She shakes her head. "You can thank me by staying with her and not screwing up. I was _furious_ when you left her for Drake: Kicking your lovesick ass in her direction was the best thing I ever did for anyone, and you threw that away."

Though you usually try not to think about that period of your marriage, you try to remember it now, or at least how Chloe had reacted. You'd never actually told her, but you do faintly recall her quietly seething for a while and brushing you off when you'd asked. Sully must have told her - she must have disapproved.

"Why'd you let me get away with it?"

Chloe sighs. "Because I knew you'd push me away like you did to her, and someone had to keep an eye on you."

God. You'd realized you'd put Sully and Elena through a lot of crap during that part of your life, but you'd never really considered how it affected Chloe (or Charlie, for that matter). And unlike Elena and Sully, who have been actively trying to get you to work on your issues so that wouldn't happen again, Chloe hasn't brought it up until now.

You reach forward and hug her. Immediately she freezes up, her shoulders going stiff; after a moment, she squirms.

"Do you _mind_? I'm trying to tell you off here."

" _Thank you_ ," you say, touching your forehead to hers.

"Let me go," she complains, though it's half-hearted.

"We've _cuddled_ ; I _know_ you like hugs," you reply, pulling back just enough to look at her face, though you still don't quite let go of her shoulders. "But seriously, you didn't have to tell me that back then - or be here now -"

She shrugs, looking uncomfortable. "She's good for you, and you're happy with her. You should have seen yourself on your wedding day."

Even you can tell that your smile's probably going a little goofy at the memory. Chloe had taken photos, but when you look at them you're always more focused on Elena than yourself.

Finally, you let go of her. "Chloe - do you want to do something? Probably tomorrow: Elena and I had plans tonight."

Chloe's eyes widen, like she's only just remembering that yes, you do have a wife on the other side of the door probably wondering what the hell is happening on her anniversary. "Am I interrupting?"

You shake your head. "Our reservations aren't until later. Lunch tomorrow?"

"That'd be nice," she says, nodding. "Charlie and I've got a job in Utah in a couple of days; I just wanted to detour on the way."

"Utah?" you repeat, one eyebrow raised.

She grins. "Dinosaur fossils."

"Huh," you say, abruptly losing interest, and she chuckles, patting you on the cheek.

"Yeah, that was what Charlie said."

Chloe stands, and offers you a hand up, which you accept.

"Hey, if you're going to congratulate me next year, maybe don't drag me into the bedroom and kick out my wife?" you suggest.

She laughs, and you can't help but grin back.

"Nah," she says. "My next plan was for five years. I will personally throw you a party when you get to five years." The fact that it's definite enough in her head for her to be planning it already, when she doesn't usually plan more than three months in advance, and for her to say 'when' instead of 'if' touches you more than you can say. "Elena's into chocolate and flowers, right?"

You crack up at that, and that's how Elena finds you when you open the door. Her total confusion only makes you laugh harder, especially when Chloe squeezes her shoulder and says, "Happy anniversary, sunshine. Go make love or whatever; I'll see myself out."

Elena stares bewildered after Chloe as she starts off down the hallway, and after a moment you hear, "See you around, cowboy," and the front door shutting.

"What the hell happened in here?" Elena asks, once you're finally finished snickering. "She comes in here like she's ready to punch you, but you're laughing when she leaves..."

You slide your arm around her waist. "She just wanted to talk about my relationship with you." For a moment, you consider telling her what Chloe had said about this being the best thing she's done for anyone, but she probably wouldn't want you to pass that on, and it's just self-sacrificing enough that Elena would probably call it heroic. Instead, you settle for, "She's really happy for us," because Elena's starting to look a little concerned.

"I got that much from the suggestion to 'make love or whatever'," she says dryly.

"That's not a bad idea," you reply, pulling her closer.

She shakes her head, but chuckles as she does it.

"Let's take her and Charlie out for lunch tomorrow," you add. "They're in town for a couple of days."

Elena brightens, and nods. "What about that Korean pla--"

"We can figure that out tomorrow," you say, and you start to pull her into the bedroom. "Tonight, it's just us."

She raises an eyebrow at the line, but lets you lead her in. "You know our reservations are at seven, right?"

You check your watch. "That's plenty of time," you say, and she laughs as she shoves you onto the bed.


End file.
